Project: Food Budget – Week 3

This week is a little odd for us, and I shopped for about 10 days of groceries instead of just one week. 2Chili has gone back to Seattle for a few days, leaving me in Bend without a car. That is really not a big deal – anything I need is less than one mile away and I am happy to bike there – but, I figured I might as well buy what I need grocery-wise to make it until he gets back.

In an unusual move, I went to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and had a last-minute trip to IGA for Test Kitchen Tuesday. I really should figure out TKT before I grocery shop!

Total damage: $128.36. Ouch! But, not really! This’ll take us from the 15th through about the 25th, leaving only six days left in October and over $100 still in the budget! Here is the result of my WFM run:

Everything for the week (some items are not pictured):

• Fruits: Organic apples – 2 varieties; organic pears – 2 varieties, organic kiwi, a giant organic mango, 10 bananas
• Veggies/herbs: Organic summer squash, organic zucchini, organic green and traditional red bell peppers, organic kale (from my old CSA Farm – Full Circle Farm!), yellow onion, frozen corn
• Potatoes/roots: Garnett yams, fresh ginger
• Canned goods: Black beans (2), pinto beans, (2), garbanzo beans (2)
• Pasta/bread/grains: Rolled oats, quinoa pasta, whole wheat pasta, vanilla wafers, multigrain crackers, high fiber cereal, a loaf of artisan bread, whole wheat tortillas
• Convenience foods: Food Should Taste Good multigrain and sweet potato chips, veggie broth, salsa,TJ’s sandwich cookies, a few protein bars, Corn Thins (like rice cakes but way better!), coffee, shelled hemp seeds, tempeh
• Dairy/Eggs: 1/2 gallon organic milk, Mexican blend cheese, cage-free eggs

Have you ever tried shelled hemp seeds? They are really good! And, they’re a good source of ALA Omega-3s, much like flaxseed. I have a flax allergy, so I have found them to bet a great solution for Omega-3s.

Menu for the Week:

• Saturday: Grilled cheese and oven roasted potatoes
• Sunday: Veggie Stew
• Monday: Leftover chickpea tacos made into burritos
• Tuesday: Tempeh stirfry
• Wednesday: Leftover veggie stew
• Thursday: Sweet potato soup
• Friday: TBD

Budget Buddies